


i thought i saw you today, but nobody was there

by iwillwalk500miles



Series: and the lights will flicker (as the days go quicker) [5]
Category: Twilight Series - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, BAMF Bella Swan, BAMF Leah Clearwater, Bella thinks about her future and maybe sex but it isn't explicit, Bisexual Bella Swan, Bisexual Jacob Black, Canon-Typical Violence, Edward Cullen Needs a Hug, Emotional Manipulation, F/F, Family Feels, Family Issues, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Hurt/Comfort, Imprinting (Twilight), Minor Character Death, Platonic Soulmates, References to Depression, Sad Bella Swan, but then again so does everyone else so he ain't that special, platonic imprinting, the wolves aren't that bad smeyer was just racist
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-21
Updated: 2019-10-21
Packaged: 2020-11-27 04:54:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20942597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iwillwalk500miles/pseuds/iwillwalk500miles
Summary: Bella wants to make the Cullen family feel bad about leaving her but, unfortunately, she's kind of busy fending off a homicidal vampire who has way too much free time on her hands.





	i thought i saw you today, but nobody was there

**Author's Note:**

> what's this?????? I've stumbled upon the concept that is platonic imprinting???? and i'm implementing it???? as a way to soothe emotional turmoil??? but also a way to CAUSE emotional turmoil????

Bella Swan stares.

"Not funny?" Alice Cullen asked, nervously rubbing at her pants.

Bella closes the door in her face.

The human teenager lets out a slow serious of deep breaths, doing her best to calm the urge to throttle the smaller vampire's neck. When her heartrate calms down, she picks up her phone and tries to call Jacob. 

Ignoring the doorbell ringing every minute or so, Bella hums to herself, heading into the kitchen and deciding to make herself a sandwich while she balances the cell phone between the juncture of her neck and shoulder. 

"Sup Bella." Jake answers. "Ready for that video game rematch?"

Bella scowls. "There's a vampire ringing my doorbell every other minute, can you come kill it for me?"

Jacob sighed. "I'll text Leah."

"Thanks Jake." She said. "Also, you ain't never gonna get that rematch."

"What Bella--" He started to whine.

"Bye!" She spoke cheerily, hanging up the phone without any more preamble. She stretches out her arms, extending them behind her back until her shoulders pop. She shakes out her limbs, sighing and doing her best to take a deep breath, before picking up the metal bat in the closet and opening up the front door. Bella smiles at Alice, her face inviting and soft. "I advise you to leave here, and not return." 

"What-?"

The human's mouth tightens into a stern line, and any calm expression on her face melts away like chocolate held to long in the palm of a hand. "Leave, Alice." She prods the end of the bat at her chest. "Don't come back, don't call, don't even think about me, understand?" She licks at the inside of her mouth. "I don't love you, I don't want you here, and I sure as hell cannot stand the look on your face when you thought that you'd win me back with a joke of all things." She sniffs, rubbing at her nose with the hand not holding the bat. 

Alice's face is positively mournful. "Wait-- Wait, please just hold on-!"

"Leave and never come back." She says, though this time (instead of serious) the words are mocking. She makes her eyes go wide, puts her hand to her chest and leans backward. "I am nothing if not dramatic, Alice Cullen." 

Realization bleeds into the tiny vampire's gold irises, and a flash of something heavy leaves Bella inwardly reeling.

"It's not fun, is it?" She asks, and her voice is a whisper. "Hearing the words?" She pokes at Alice's chest again, so hard that her wrist begins to hurt a little. (Not that she cares much, it's not like she's injuring the shorter girl much.) "It's everything that was said to me, at least--" She tilted her head, hearing the sound of a car pull up, "--well, I did take some liberties with the wording, I can't make it sound like _I'm_ leaving, that would defeat the purpose of tricking you."

"Bella!" A woman's shout. Leah Clearwater steps out of the car, her easygoing expression melting when she sees who's standing in front of the door. "Oh."

The human hums in agreement. "I'd ask you to teach her a lesson, but I don't think she'd ever _really_ learn it."

Leah snorts. "Don't I know it, Leeches don't learn, Swan. They're trapped in the time they were turned, all that chemical shit and whatever." 

Alice says nothing, but looks between the two of them with a critical eye.

Bella sighs, rubbing her face tiredly. "Chemical imbalance? Isn't there like, medicine for that?"

"Like they would actually consider themselves flawed." Leah scoffed. "Come on Swan, now that Cullen is here I have to go back to the Rez, I only imagine you want to come with me."

"Give me a second to put on my shoes." Bella moved back inside the house, gesturing for the wolf to follow her. "You can come inside, if you like."

Leah moved a forward a little, as if compelled, before pulling to a stop directly beside the vampire. "I'll wait out here."

"Right." Bella said, eyeing the older women. "Don't kill her yet, I'd like to be present for that."

Alice flinched when Leah laughed.

The human girl smiled, closing the door and heading up the stairs to her room. After grabbing a jacket and pulling on her shoes, she grabbed the old flip phone of Billy's that Jacob had let her borrow and a bag of crackers. She shoved the treats into her mouth and started toward the door-- only to be greeted by the sounds of an argument.

"Woah--" Bella said, frowning. "Just what the heck is going on here?"

"Ha, you said heck." Leah mocked, moving away from Alice and moving to grab Bella's hand. "Come on bird brain, we're leaving."

"Bird brain?" Bella asked after eating a couple more crackers. 

"You know." Leah said, looking oddly sheepish. "It's, well-- 'cause your name is _Swan_?"

The human girl stared for a moment, before cracking a wide smile.

* * *

"You're acting strange, Bells." Jacob says after a moment. "I don't suppose I can convince you just to come out with it?"

She stares at him for a moment, turning back to look at the T.V. where the rest of the wolf pack cheer some sports game. Bella glanced down at her hands, watching as her knuckles whitened and her nails dug in to the skin of her palms. She didn't know what to tell him, didn't know what she could tell him-- how was she going to explain what she was feeling, how was she going to put it into words? Jake and the rest of the pack already knew about Alice's return, but they could not figure out what was going through the humans head.

"I think I'm just surprised, and..." She wracked her mind, pressing a palm to her forehead to try and relieve the pressure that began to build there. "I hadn't expected her." Her response was simple, but something about the words and the way they were spoken told of a greater burden wearing on her shoulders. 

Bella did her best to ignore it.

"I don't think anyone could have." Jacob says after a moment, when it's clear she's done speaking. "They messed you up bad, Bells, and it's unfair that just when you've begun to put yourself back together, one of them just shows up at your door." He frowned, looking away for a moment. "It just... I guess it just isn't fair."

"Why do you think that?" Bella said, then elaborating at her friend's blank expression, "Why do you think I've begun to put myself back together?"

Jake smiled suddenly. "Well, you wouldn't be here if you weren't."

The human girl blinked for a moment, letting her shoulders recline back into the chair she was seated in. His answer was so simple, and despite it, she couldn't help but feel a little bit better after it.

"Now." Jacob said, suddenly serious. "You ready to talk about a game plan?"

She stared, looking around her and at the faces of the wolves who had sworn to help her.

"Yeah." She whispered, determination leaking through the bottom of her eyes. "Let's kick some vampire ass."

The resounding whoops she got in return made her smile that much brighter.

* * *

"Hello, Swan." The redhead crooned. "I almost didn't expect to see you here."

Victoria, the mean vampire lady, watched Bella with half-lidded and predatory eyes. The human examines her for a moment, taking in her beauty, the red curl of her hair, the slope of her nose and neck. She's dressed in a ratty gray tank-top. a furry coat wrapped around her shoulders, dark blue jeans, and bare feet. Her face is cold, but playful in a way-- like she couldn't quite decide whether or not she wanted to play with her food or simply devour it.

Bella supposed that she was the food in this situation.

"Well." The human starts. "You are in my backyard."

Victoria moves her neck, glancing around the area with curious eyes. "I suppose I am, aren't I?" She smiles, a little wistful, "It wasn't an accident, make no mistake, but I am rather fond of poetic endings."

Bella swallowed the lump that had risen in her throat. "Pardon me for asking, but what do you mean?"

Red eyes snapped to brown, and a heart rate sped up.

Victoria smiled.

"Vampires are sometimes in possession of a unique gift." She started. "Mine... well, I suppose you could call it _survival_. It protects me, like a shield-- or in my case, a very sharp stick poking me just before I make a decision, degrees of intensity different amounts of danger." 

The human teenager chewed a little on her lip, watching the redheaded woman in front of her with no small amount of wariness. "What has that got to do with me?"

"The press along my ribs is non-existent when I am around you, as it is with most humans." Victoria explained, "But sometimes, when I have an opportunity to attack the people around you, to end them-- it is almost as if I've been stabbed." The vampire looked... _excited_. Almost as if she was talking about a favorite show or book. "I've never _been_ stabbed before." She added, but then frowned, bringing her fingers to her chin, "At least, not as I am now... once when I was human, but that hardly counts, I can barely remember the incident."

Bella said nothing, waiting for the woman to get to her point.

Victoria laughed at her obvious confusion. "Ah, little bird, I'm afraid I've gotten a bit off topic-- what was I talking about?"

"You... I believe you were about to tell me about your powers, or maybe why you've decided to come visit me." Bella spoke slowly, saying every word with the utmost care. She didn't want to say the wrong thing and have her throat ripped out as a consequence. 

The vampire hummed, the sound like a melody instead of a way to express human thoughtfulness. "Yes, I do believe I was." She clapped her hands, "Let's play a game."

"A game?" Bella asked hesitantly.

"A game!" Victoria confirmed. "I'm going to give you a scenario, and you're going to try and figure out what's happening." She shot her a wink, "Think you can handle it?"

"You've got to be--" Bella started, only to be interrupted by cold fingers gripping her throat and lifting her in the air.

"A game, Bella Swan." The vampire stated, previous playfulness gone. Victoria looked cold, untouchable, as though she had flipped a simple switch and changed one personality out for the other. 

She smirked suddenly, dropping her and taking a step backward. Bella heaved, landing on her knees and breathing into the dark grass. She rubbed at her neck and winced when she felt the ache that accompanied newly forming bruises. 

"Wow." Victoria said. "The danger meter just went haywire." She kneeled down, smiling broadly at her. Her lips pulled up past her teeth, making the twitch of her lips look cattish and predatory. "But the second I let you go, any and all warning faded." She tilted her head, looking positively innocent, "Once I turn you, we can play with it more."

"Y-You're going to turn me?" Bella stuttered slightly, watching the woman in front of her with wide eyes.

"But of course!" Victoria recoiled, looking genuinely surprised. "That coven of yours should've bitten you... or killed you, anything else is breaking the law." She sat back on her rear, crossing her legs and setting her hands on her knees. "I was going to snuff out your pathetic little life, but I decided that turning you would be much better." She said, as though it was a fact she was stating. "And what better way to get revenge for my poor coven mates? The wolves you hang around with would be forced to end your existence, or go through life knowing they failed to protect one of their perfect little imprints, and the Cullen's would mourn the loss of one of their toy humans, those two you fancy hanging around-- your mate and the ginger, would be quite disturbed when they learn your precious little humanity was taken from you."

Bella's hands shook. "Mate...? Imprint...? What are you talking about?" Wasn't an imprint like a soulmate for the wolves or something? Wouldn't they had let her know if something was going on? "How do you even know about the imprinting process?"

Victoria stilled. "You don't know." A statement. She was frowning now. "Hmm." 

"What?" The human teenager hissed out.

"I'm not surprised you don't know about the imprint, I overheard the wolves talking-- and apparently the realization of the whole thing it _was_ quite recent." The redhead spoke grudgingly, before a nasty looking snarl working it's way onto her face. "But the subject of mates... that should have been taken care of... perhaps I could be of assistance, in this, at least."

"What do you want from me Victoria?" Bella asked. "You want to confuse me? Hurt me? It won't work."

"Darling girl." The vampire purred. "All I want to do is right a wrong, perhaps gain a companion in the process." She moved, crawling forward. "Though I may have to actually just kill you... it's much more simple then all this--" She rolled her eyes, "--_drama_."

"What are _you_-?" She was cut off by Victoria leaping backwards suddenly.

"Oh dear." She sighed sadly. "It appears my visit has been cut short." She pouted. "Promise to call?"

Bella shot her an incredulous look.

Victoria sighed. "Right, _well_\--" She started to move backward. "--do think on my proposition, if you can't choose I'll make the decision for you, and I think we both know you don't want that." She paused. "I wouldn't leave you alone."

"This was an _offer_?!" Bella exclaimed. "What kind of _bullshit_-!"

"Oh, sorry dear, I have to go." The red head smiled again, and for a moment it was as if she was a normal person. Then she had to go and spoil it with what she said next. "Don't forget, little bird. There's only two ways this will go-- both include endless suffering... or at least a second of suffering, if you decide not to turn." She frowned, muttering to herself. "Maybe I should prolong it--" Before she was gone, swept away by odd scenting winds and muddy footprints.

A loud yell, and suddenly someone else was in the backyard with her. Or, make that _several_ 'someone else's.'

"Is she gone? Did she hurt you?" Edward Cullen asked, moving toward her and looking properly worried. 

Bella went stone still. Rationally she knew that everyone was back, but it was one thing knowing and another seeing.

(Especially _Rosalie_\--)

Without saying a word, she stood up, entering her house and locking the door behind her. She hoped that they would leave her alone.

After about five minutes of knocking (and the occasional shout that could only be Emmett) the Cullens left the area, and Bella knew it was safe to cry.

* * *

"Who imprinted on me?" Bella asked. Her voice comes out a little mean, and she feels herself wince. She hadn't meant to sound aggravated. In her defense though, how could she not sound the tiniest bit annoyed? She had just learned something one of the pack should have told her about, not little miss I-will-kill-your-entire-family.

Jacob blinks. "What do you mean?"

The human girl sighed, an allowed for a moment to hope that Victoria had been wrong or outright lying. "The vampire who's been hunting me, she said that one of you nerds--" She gestured her fingers at them, "--had imprinted on me."

It was silent. 

In her opinion, this probably wasn't a very good sign.

Bella shivered a little, she had drove all the way down to La Push to confront them, and found the pack laughing around a bonfire. She allowed the scent of burning wood to soothe her, and waited for the wolves to say something.

"Bella." Sam mumbled gruffly. "It's a little more complicated than that..." His face distorts as he trails off, and in an unlikely turn of events he looks uncomfortable. The alpha shifts, his eyes leaving hers and zeroing in on the ground beneath his feet.

She fought the urge to stare, the man looks more young than she's ever seen him. It strikes her in that moment that he is in his early twenties, trapped in a role of king he was never even told about, let alone even _prepared_ for. He had been playing the roll of father to the others in his pack, and he was barely old enough to even _be_ one.

"Who, Sam?" She asked, though her voice was calmer than before, not at all angry or even annoyed. Bella Swan allowed the wolf pack a moment of reprieve, they would need it.

"_Bella_." Leah says, "Maybe you should give it a minute-- after we get rid of the vampire bitch--"

"Don't use my distaste for someone else as a shield for consequence." She stated flatly.

Jake laughed out loud, shoulders shaking as he wrapped his arms around his stomach. "Just tell her, it'll be way easier if we don't draw all this out." He claps a baby-faced boy on the shoulder.

The boy nodded determinedly. "Yeah Leah, you should tell her."

"_Seth_!" She hissed. 

"Cat's out of the bag now." Another boy, Embry, grumped. "Best get it over with, she-wolf."

"Leah?" Bella asked, "It's you?"

She said nothing, turning away and crossing her arms. The woman looked absolutely pissed.

"In her defense." Jacob started, "Nobody knew it was an imprint until like two weeks after it happened--"

"Nobody really expected Leah to imprint on anyone," Seth explained, "let alone a white girl."

Bella breathed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "We'll talk about it later." Her voice was firm, making the pack snap to attention at the seriousness in her tone. "For now, we have to talk about something else, equally important."

"What is it?" Jacob frowned.

"How on Earth did Victoria _know_?" Bella stressed, "How the fuck did she figure all this shit out?"

The wolves all collectively frowned, making the human wonder if it was a pack thing. 

"We..." Sam furrowed his brow, "We did have someone disappear." He sniffed, rubbing his face with the back of his hand. "But all signs pointed to him leaving willingly, and if a leech was involved we would've been able to figure it out, the smell isn't exactly hard to miss."

Bella said nothing, and stared down at her hands. 

She hoped that it hadn't been her fault... but something told her the only reason Victoria would've killed someone on the Reservation was to be a nuisance. "Ok..." She mumbled slowly, "...let's figure this out."

Jacob wrapped an arm around her shoulder, and an impromptu pack meeting commenced.

* * *

"So I heard the Cullens moved back." Jessica started a couple days later at lunch. "Want to talk about that?"

Bella sips her water, swallowing and licking at her teeth. "Not really." She wondered why she had to go to school if a homicidal vampire was out and about making her life difficult. "I mean... why should we care?"

"You did date one of them Bells." Eric pointed out. "And Big Sexy over there--" He juts his chin to where Emmett sits, "--won't stop looking over here with big puppy dog eyes."

"Big Sexy?" Bella asked, laughing through her confused frown. "What?"

Angela laughed a little. "It's because he's--"

"_Swole_?" Jessica recommended.

"_Stronk_?" Eric interjected.

"--kind of built." Angela finished. "You know, like a skyscraper."

"Right." Bella agreed. "I forgot about his muscles."

Jessica gasped out loud. "Who are you and what have you done with Bella Swan?" She pretended to tear up, "She doesn't even notice muscles on boys anymore... Rosalie Hale has ruined you." 

Eric chortled, "Not that Bella minded."

"Tis true--" The brunette started, placing a hand over her heart, "--once upon a time, the ruining was celebrated, but now--" She sighed, flipping her hair, "--now it is only chaos."

"Was there ever a time you weren't dramatic?" Angela asked, taking her hand and squeezing it a little.

Bella blinked in surprise, before shaking it off. "I have to... I have to be dramatic... have to be _that_ bitch-- or I'll _die_." She finished with a flourish, schooling her face into a serious expression.

"Of that I have no doubt." Angela mused. "Seriously though, Bella." Her eyes seemed to look straight through her. "Rosalie dumped you, Edward left you in the woods, and the rest of the Cullens didn't bother to say goodbye-- and now they're _back_."

"You don't just go through all that and come out unscathed." Eric said softly, "Especially not with a history like yours."

"_History_?" Bella asked.

"I put some of the pieces together." Eric revealed, not sheepish at all. "I'm not on the school paper for nothing, my lady."

"You're an ass." Bella frowned. "What the fuck, dude?"

Angela squeezed her hand in hers again, gently rubbing circles into her palm with her thumb. "You don't have to say anything." She whispered softly. "We know that it's really hard for you to open up, and that you deflect a lot of things--" A fond smile, "--almost like a shield." There is something strange about the last thing that her friend says. "You protect yourself, even when you don't realize what you're doing."

"We just want you to know that we're your friends." Jessica added, her mouth pulled into a serious line. "And we won't hesitate to _help_ you, to _listen_ to you... but only if you want us to."

"Yeah!" Eric cheered. "In the event you don't want to do that-- we can go hit things! My uncle owns a junkyard, you have a bat in your closet, it'd be chill." 

"A match made in heaven." Jessica smiled.

"Okay." She whispered, voice cracking a little.

She'd forgotten about them in her sorrow, letting the memories of how much they cared about her slip through her fingers as she mourned the loss of a temporary family. It was safe to say she wouldn't be making the same mistake again.

* * *

Alice Cullen was standing in front of the door again. 

Bella had to hand it to her, she was certainly determined. (Unfortunately, that determination would be getting her absolutely nowhere.) At least Charlie wasn't home, he'd certainly be confused as to why his favorite of the vampire family had been left sitting on the front steps of their door when his daughter was so obviously home. Now that she had thought about it, the tiny vampire was never over at the same time as her father... she wondered if Alice was being genuinely considerate, or just hadn't decided to make a play for him yet.

Either way, the result would remain the same, Alice Cullen standing on her porch-- ignored and tucked away into the back of her mind. 

Bella worked on her homework, every once in a while throwing a small rock from a bucket filled with them out of her father's window in hopes one would land on her former friend. So far she was out of luck.

When she tossed the fifteenth stone, her phone began to ring. She glanced down at it, the phone number was familiar, but she couldn't be sure who was calling. Since she had broken her phone and lost all of her data (rip her progress on a ton of mobile games) every once in a while she'd get a call from an unknown number that turned out to be someone she knew, the person claiming they had received her new number from one of her friends or parents.

She was always extremely reluctant to answer an unknown number, but she was bored and decided to give it a go anyway.

"Hello?" She couldn't stop her voice from sounding bored. 

"_Um... Hey Bella._" A familiar voice said through the speakers. 

"What do you want, Emmett?" She sighed, groaning into the palm of her hand. She grabbed another rock, tossing it out of the window. "I'm kind of busy."

"_Tossing things at my tiny sister, yeah I heard_." He laughed, it sounded the same-- as jubilant as ever, and Bella was struck with the realization that everything Edward had said was true, they really were suspended in time, unchanging.

Bella said nothing, gripping another rock in her fist. 

"_Listen... I know you don't want to talk with us, but we want to help with the whole Victoria thing_." His voice was serious, and she could almost imagine the grim yet determined glint in his amber eyes. "_We set up a meeting with the wolves, but Sam won't talk to us unless it's okay with you... someone in his pack was adamant about that._" Amusement bleed through his tone, just a little bit.

The human girl swallowed roughly, tossing the stone in her hand out the house. As much as she wanted to tell him to go fuck himself, she knew that a lot of casualties could be prevented if she allowed the Cullens to help them. She bit her lip, going back and forth in her mind on what she wanted to do.

"Okay." She said. "Set the meeting." 

When she heard Alice whoop in triumph outside, she dumped the entirety of the bucket out the window, smiling when it landed on the vampires head.

* * *

"I think I want to lose my virginity." Bella says one day during lunch, absentmindedly pushing her plate of vegetables around her cafeteria tray. "I mean, people do that in high school right? I'm eighteen now, legally... _adulting_, I guess."

Eric doesn't make a sound, his eyes wide as milk begins to trail down his chin and onto his shirt. Angela and Jessica don't do much better, both looking entirely too surprised about the conversation topic to actually contribute. 

"Um..." Angela whispered, a flush on her face. "I'm going to need some context, Bella."

"I don't!" Jessica snaps out of it immediately, grinning lecherously. There's a humorous spark in her eyes, delight at the idea of having this conversation. When she catches the disbelieving look Angela shoots her, she shrugs, smile not fading. "_Come on_, Ang! Little miss prude doesn't talk about _anything_ adults don't approve of."

"That's not true!" Bella protests. "I'm sure my dad wouldn't like to hear how many jokes I make about falling off cliffs."

"Yeah..." Eric says, "I think you're talking to the wrong person about sex, not only am I not in any position to experience it-- I'd also rather not have it... I'm kind of asexual, I suppose." He shrugged, a tiny smile on his pale lips. "Though I'm sure Jess would love to talk about... the pleasures of the flesh."

Bella giggled loudly, "'_The pleasures of the flesh._'" She mocked a little.

"You are a literal child." Angela chastised, though the red blush on her cheeks showed no sign of fading. "At least you can talk about it." She grumbled, "I can't even think about it without combusting on the inside."

Bella shrugged, suddenly awkward. "It _is_ still kind of embarrassing, but I trust this conversation not to be repeated, so you know... why not talk about it?"

"Unlike you two prudes, I'm comfortable with my sexuality." Jessica interjected, than looks at Eric. "Not you bud, very proud you were comfortable to come out to us." Angela and Bella voiced there support after her.

Eric shot all of them a thumbs up.

"But anyway, what brought this on?" Jess asked curiously, leaning her cheek onto her hand. "Is it that girl you've been hanging around with, Leah?"

"Or what about that boy-- Jacob?" Angela added. "You did tell me he was boyfriend material."

Bella frowned, thinking about it. "Well, I mean they are pretty hot." She didn't think it'd be fair to them though, to do something like that just to do it. Not to mention they wasn't much actual attraction there to build on. "I just don't think I could picture fucking one of them."

Angela and Eric exchanged surprised looks as Jess began to pound on the table like an over-excited puppy. She cheered, whistling as she clapped her hands. "Woah there Belly-Bells, you've got quite the mouth on you."

"What is it?" She asked, brows furrowing in confusion.

"I think those reservation boys you've been hanging around with are rubbing off on you." Eric said, amusement bleeding through his voice. "I've never heard you refer to sex as _'fucking_.'"

"No." Bella pointed out, face relaxing somewhat, "You've just never heard me refer to sex."

Somewhere across the cafeteria, a loud smack reverberated across the room. All teenagers looked up, finding Rosalie Hale marching out of the cafeteria. Bella frowned, she'd gotten used to a room without super hearing vampires. She looked away without a second thought, missing the worried frown Angela shot her.

"She doesn't look to happy." Angela pursed her lips, eye the Cullens for a second before returning her gaze to the table. "You don't think she heard you, do you?"

"_Doubtful_." Bella mumbled, "Nobody in that family listens to what I have to say."

Jessica snorted. "Preach it, girl." She held up her hand for a high-five, which she enthusiastically returned.

"Anyway," Eric said, "Please continue where we left off, it's kind of fun, listening to you guys."

"Right." Angela shifted. "Well, er… not being able to picture, _intercourse_, may be a problem." She mumbled, cheeks bright. The teenager shook her head a little, a sudden determined look on her face. "But seriously, do you actually want to lose your virginity, or is it the social constructs of teenagers putting pressure on you?"

Bella hummed, placing a hand on her chin as she thought about it. "I don't know." She said honestly. "But I do know I want to do it before I die."

"Well, there's plenty of time to think about it, then." Jessica interjected. "You'll have years and years to be ready."

Something in her stomach clenched, and Bella couldn't help but look away.

* * *

"I can't believe you actually dumped a bucket of rocks on the leech's head." Leah laughed. "I do _not_ want to get on your shit list."

Bella allowed herself a small smile. "It's not like it hurt her or anything... Though I did take a picture of Alice walking to her car with the bucket." She pulled out her cheep flip-phone, showing the female wolf a blurry image that she had taken.

A small figure was In the process of moving forward, a metal pail set on top of its head, crooked and dented. Alice's face was angled toward the window where Bella had taken the picture, a clear pout on her face despite the less than favorable quality of the photo. 

"Send that to me, I want to frame it." Jacob said from the front seat of the van. He craned his neck to look at the phone, smiling when he saw how close the wolves and Bella were smooshed together. "Or maybe I should print it out, get little leech's autograph, and _then_ frame it."

"It could become a family heirloom." One of the boys, Embry Call, suggested. "Pass it down from generation to generation--"

Another boy, Jared Cameron, snorted. "Maybe have a little plaque under it that says Bella almost died taking it, and that her heroics will always be remembered." 

Paul Lahote grinned, "And the autograph could be explained with Swans freaky little gifts, maybe she fought Cullen until she gave in."

"A witch!" A smallish boy named Brady giggled, "It could say she was a witch!"

The entire van burst into laughter.

Sam, who was sitting in the front seat, coughed out an awkward chortle-- desperately trying to control the giggles that threatened to escape his stomach.

Bella felt her face burn, though the smile on her face didn't fade until a while later, when the meeting with the Cullens came to a start.

* * *

Bella stood in between Leah and Jake, absentmindedly brushing their fur. Sam and Carlisle where in a deep discussion, and though she knew she should probably be paying attention, she couldn't find it in herself to focus on anything but the two friends that stood next to her. 

The silvery and russet wolves exchanged a look above Bella's head, before both of them began nudging her forward-- encouraging her to listen to what was being said.

She rolled her eyes, but obeyed their silent plea.

Edward was staring at the ground, ginger hair curling around his ears. He looked like he'd rather be anywhere but there, surrounded by the wolves that he had so apparently disliked.

Alice and Jasper were wrapped in each other, the blonde man looked stiff and uncomfortable-- while the small women simply looked tired.

Emmett and Rosalie stood side by side, arms crossed and looks vastly contrasting each other. The tall burly man was smiling, though it looked a tad forced, as he watched the wolves with apparent interest. (She pretended she didn't notice the way the blonde vampire looked, beautiful and unending-- her lips painted red making her look like an image so timeless.)

Esme was staring.

Bella was sure that everyone could hear her teeth grinding. 

"_Listen_." Sam stopped whatever Carlisle had been saying with a single word, his brown eyes narrowing. "Quite frankly, this meeting was only a formality-- we don't need your help protecting Bella, especially considering the circumstance that endears her to us." He stated firmly.

Edward's head snapped upward, his eyes widening in unresolved horror. "_You_\--" 

Bella coughed pointedly. 

The vampire stiffened... and began to look uncertain. 

"_Edward_." Alice said, her voice was stiff. "What is it?"

"_I_\--" He paused. 

(Bella didn't know it that moment, but Edward was wondering if it was really okay to tell his family of the situation that had entangled her to the wolf pack-- the imprint that was so obvious to him, if only because he could gleam it from the minds of the wolves. Then he was wondering why Alice was asking, if she could see the future-- and then he was realizing that if she didn't know, he didn't tell her.)

"I thought..." He shook his head. "I thought I heard something important, I was wrong." He spoke to Sam, though his eyes would flicker to Bella every so often. "Apologies."

"Right." Sam frowned. "Of course." 

Bella allowed herself to breathe, ignoring Jasper's frown at the relief that he felt from her person.

* * *

Bella tipped the tin can over with her bat, absentmindedly swinging it side to side. Eric, Jessica, and Angela sat on the bed of her truck throwing things at the junk that surrounded them. 

Eric was right, hitting things _was_ cathartic. 

She sniffed, bringing one knee closer to her chest, fiddling with her shoe laces as she twirled the metal rod in her hand. "Wanna go get some food?" She asked everyone. 

Jessica, who's head was positioned against Angela's shoulder, nodded talking through a yawn. "Head to the diner maybe? I got an in with one of the waitresses." 

Angela booped the tip of the other girls nose. "Of course you do."

"Don't make it weird, Ang." Jess pouted. 

"Because _I'm_ always the one making it weird--"

"Glad you think so, the first step is always admitting you have a problem." 

"Shut up, Stanly." 

Bella giggled, shooting Eric an amused look while the two teenage girls bickered. 

It was nice, having a brief interlude to hang around with her human friends.

That was, until she got the phone call.

"_Hello, little bird_." Victoria started, her voice was playful. "_You didn't call_!" Bella could practically see the pout forming on her face. 

She swallowed, lowering the phone a little. "Hey guys, I'll be right back, I have to take this." 

Angela frowned, glancing between Bella and the small device on her hand. It looked like the other teenager wanted to say something, but held herself pack, leaning into Jessica a little more and kicking Eric in the shin. "Alright, be careful." She said, with a look more knowing than Bella was comfortable with.

The brunette nodded, walking around the corner and facing a wall of broken televisions before placing the phone back to her ear.

"Hi, Victoria." She started hesitantly. "Is this a social call? I'd be disappointed if all you wanted me for was my blood, you know."

Smooth laughter escaped from the speakers. "_You always know how to cheer a girl up, don't you?_"

Bella swallowed. "I can't quite say I'm familiar with the concept to be honest."

"_I'm only a little bit surprised._" Victoria answered. "_Have you given any thought to my proposal?_"

"I... I have." She admitted softly.

"_Judging by the sudden influx of danger I feel, you've decided to decline my offer?_" The vampire asked, her voice was unreadable.

"Yes." Bella said, shoulders stiff, "I have."

"_Pity, that._" Victoria sighed, "_I guess I'll just have to kill the poor young man._"

Her blood went cold. "I'm sorry?"

"_Oh!_" Her voice was far too cheerful. "_Didn't you get my message?_"

"Message?" Bella uttered, shivering in the cold. "What message?"

"_Oh don't play coy now Bella_." Victoria cooed, "_I made **sure** that the wolves knew someone was missing, they would have told you all about it... unless I gave them more credit than they deserve, which isn't much, if I'm being quite honest._"

"I..." Bella racked her brain, remembering the member of the tribe that the pack had said went missing the other day. "They told me, but they thought--"

"_That it wasn't me?_" She could feel the beginnings of a pout of Victoria's face. "_I'm hurt, Swan._"

"Sorry." She answered on reflex, before shaking her head and taking a deep breath. "I need more time."

"_Hmm_." Victoria's voice was surprisingly soothing, like honey being drizzled over the top of her head, smooth and relaxing. "_I guess I'll just kill this one then._"

"_Wait_-!" She protested.

But it was too late, the sounds of someone screaming pierced through the cheap phone speakers. 

Bella held her stomach, and vomited behind some tires.

"_Don't make me wait any longer, little bird_." She heard Victoria murmur through the phone. "_I really don't want to break your mind before you've been turned, that would leave for a definite buzzkill of a companion... no matter how fun it is now._" Cruel laughter. "_Try not to loose your lunch next time, dear, you have three days, ta-ta!_"

Bella gagged, and promptly threw up again.

* * *

"Miss Swan." Carlisle blinked, pausing for a moment to set his clipboard down. He seemed surprised that she would look for him, that she would purposely allow herself to be in his presence. Than, remembering where he was, her frowned. "Are you alright?" He asked worriedly.

She sniffed, she'd almost forgotten that she was in a hospital. "I've convinced the wolves to have another meeting with you." She said softly, "In regards to Victoria."

His golden eyes scanned her, taking in the bruises under her eyes and the noticeable slump of her shoulders. "What happened?" He murmured gently, "Miss Swan, you can confide in me."

"Can I?" She snapped back, loosing her head for a moment. "Can I _really_?"

It was quiet suddenly, and Carlisle looked entirely too taken aback by the spite and bitterness of her tone. He had to get what he did was wrong, she thought, if he gets it-- than so will everyone else, and then she may have the heart to forgive them, and then maybe she could heal herself.

(Maybe it wasn't the best outlook to have, but it was the only one she could come up with without feeling stupid about everything that happened, without feeling like the useless little human they had accidentally made her out to be.)

The blonde vampire pursed his lips. "I understand, that you feel like we have wronged you." He whispered. "I understand and agree that you have every reason to lash out and hate us, but _please_\-- we only have your safety in our mind, in the past and today; that does not change over night."

Bella shook her head. "Just meet us by the border." She moved away, shoulders shaking.

* * *

She leaned on to Leah and Jacob, allowing herself a moment to collect herself. Bella needed to breathe, she need to remind herself that in that moment, she was as safe as she could possibly be. Sam, the only one who wasn't shifted, nodded at her, moving towards her. "If you need more time, we can give it to you." He rumbled, crossing his arms. He wasn't very good at providing comfort for others, she had noticed, but the fact that he often tired meant a lot to her. Sometimes she forgets that Samuel Uley, alpha of the La Push wolves, was only eighteen when he first shifted.

"I'm fine." She said softly, taking a deep breath and readying herself. "I have to do this, you know that right?"

Sam sighed, the movement weary and annoyed. "You shouldn't have to." He shook his head, running a hand through his short hair. "God, you're still a child in so many ways."

"You're right." Bella agreed seriously, "I haven't even had sex yet."

Some of the wolves let out sharp barks, the sounds almost laughter. One of the boys that Bella recognizes as Paul, nudges her a little-- and blinks a couple of times, almost like he was trying to wink. She snorted, flicking the tall silvery shoulder of his form. "In your dreams maybe, Lahote."

Paul whines, and falls to the floor, playing dead-- and Bella laughs louder than the wolves howl.

"That's enough you two." Sam says in his 'alpha' voice, though there is a degree of fondness in his eyes as he watches his pack. "Bella, better get on Jake's--" (A whine makes Sam roll his eyes) "--fine then, _Leah's_ back."

"Dope." She grinned. She liked it when her friends let her hang around when they were in wolf form, and even though they were heading to an important meeting, she still couldn't quite clamp down the excitement building in her chest. Leah smiles, or does the wolf equivalent, and leans down-- asking her to jump on. Bella obeys, because even though they have yet to really talk about all this 'imprint' business, she still trusts Leah with her life. 

The ride there is spent laughing as the wolves run, doing little tricks as they pump their legs. Brady, the youngest and smallest wolf, does his best to impress her-- banking of trees, jumping over streams, and looking back and yipping when he notices her watching. It warms Bella's heart, the kid is only fourteen and it shows-- his limbs are a little to long for his body, head a tad too large.

All fun ends when the reach the neutral zone. Bella grits her teeth when she notices the Cullens standing there, and attempt to slide down Leah's body-- only to be forcefully dropped off by the older girl. She sputters as she hits the ground, grinning even though she's covered in mud. "You bitch!" She accuses, laughter distracting her from the emotional turmoil that had begun to build in her heart. Leah huffs, as if to say, _obviously. _She nudges Bella back up to her feet with her head, lifting her back and pushing her forward.

"Hello, Cullens." Sam booms from behind the wolves, walking forward. (He had to unshift right before they reached the vampires to put on some jorts.)

She wrinkles her nose a little when she notices his clothing, not noticing Alice doing the same.

"Mr. Uley." Carlisle greets amicably. "I'm happy you've reconsidered the meeting."

Sam sneers, but does his best not to snap back. "The circumstances have changed."

"What, is she not endeared to you anymore?" Rosalie sneers.

Bella winced, it's the first words that she's heard the blonde say-- and they're sharp barbs meant to cut deep and hurt her friends. She places a hand on Leah's shoulder when she feels the wolf stiffen, absentmindedly running her fingers through the silver gray fur.

The rest of the wolves tense their bodies, watching to see what Sam would do-- so they could follow or adjust accordingly. 

Sam bristles immediately, jaw clenching as he sets his shoulders back, making him seem taller and more authoritative. "You know _nothing_ of our customs." In truth, Bella doesn't know much either-- so she can't exactly blame Rosalie for her words. After being in a relationship with her, Bella knows how she looks when she's lashing out because she's hurt. There's a moment where her chest begins to sting, at the realization that this girl is sad-- that someone she held so dear is in pain, but her righteous anger wins out and stomps any thought of comforting Rosalie right then and there.

"I don't need to." She hissed, eyes wide with fury. 

"Um..." Emmett starts. "We know a lot about loving people, you know?" He laughed, though the sound his slightly condescending. "You guys are like, a fraction of our age."

Bella blinked. _Had Emmett just really--_

"We care for Bella a great deal more than you, if this is how you've decided to show it." Sam says smoothly, touching a nerve with every word.

"Rosalie. Emmett." Edward murmured. "Don't insinuate anything." His hands are wrapped in his hoodie, posture slightly slouched as he watches the situation in front of him.

Rosalie bares her teeth at him, turning to tear him a new one-- only to be stopped by someone snorting.

The Cullens stare, wide-eyed, all surprised as her small breath turns into full on rolling laughter. 

Bella wipes at the tears that gathered near her eyes, fighting the giggles that wrack her body continuously. Leah nudges her, and Jake shoulder checks her-- all in an attempt to get her to shut up, but she can't quite help but see the humor of this situation. "Oh my God!" She exclaims, "I'm gonna be dead in two days and they're instigating a pissing contest about who cares more!" Her shoulders shake in mirth, "I absolutely _cannot_ be the only one who thinks this is hilarious."

"Bella, oh my God." Sam pinches the bridge of his nose. "We're supposed to be having this serious meeting... _seriously_."

The human only finds herself laughing louder. 

"Leah." Sam said, exasperated. "Can you-?"

But Leah's already moving backward into the trees, unshifting and slipping on a sleeveless shirt and shorts. "Honestly, girl-- get a motherfucking _grip_!" She grabbed Bella's shoulders. "Now is _really_ not the time to be loosing your grip on reality."

Bella giggles even more in Leah's arms.

"You _aren't_ gonna die-- that be _way_ too inconvenient for me." Leah chastised. "You're like... my only friend."

"You're right, you're right." Bella nodded. "Not gonna die."

Leah nodded rapidly, the beginnings of relief on her face. "Not gonna die."

"Victoria clearly stated that she wanted to turn me, so you know, not _entirely_ dead."

"_For fucks sake_!" Leah groaned, "You _know_ that isn't what I meant."

"Leah, do you two need a moment in private?" Sam asked, shifting. He looked worried and overeager, like he had resolved himself to giving them anything they would've asked for. Bella realized suddenly, that he probably _would_. Sam had left Leah for his imprint, for Emily-- but that couldn't have negated any and all love that he had felt for her. In the end, Sam still loves her, the imprint just made him love Emily more. So... he wants Leah to be happy, and when he found out that she had imprinted, of course he hadn't made her conform to the rules the rest of the pack had to follow when they find out who they're fated to care for.

She doesn't know how she feels about that, knowing that Sam hurt Leah bad enough that he had been willing to give her anything-- anything except what she had wanted until Bella came along.

Bella finds that she can't necessarily hate Sam for everything he's done up to now, but she could sure as _hell_ be disappointed in him.

"No, no." She says, rubbing at the tears in eyes, "Just give me like, a quick sec." After taking a moment to breath, she gestures for him to continue the meeting, leaning back into Leah. 

Sam looks worried, but it shifts into coldness when he makes eye contact with the vampires in front of them. "As Bella so happily informed you, the red headed leech intends to use her to replace her lost coven mates." He grimaced. "Because of... of the odd incidents that tend to happen when the two interact."

'Odd incidents' was maybe a bit of an understatement.

Edward staggered a little. "She _what_?!"

Sam blinked slowly. "I trust you've seen it then?"

The vampire ran a hand through his ginger hair. "That wasn't the first time Bella's done something impossible." Edward whispered, looking up to meet her eyes. Golden eyes met hers, and she could feel the desperation in his eyes. "Oh my-- Bella if we had known we would've never left you alone, you have to believe me."

"He's right." It's Rosalie that says this, her face soft. "I'm sorry."

Bella doesn't know what to do suddenly. Isn't that what she had wanted, an apology? A moment of understanding were the Cullens had realized just what they did by leaving her behind? No, she realized. No that wasn't all she wanted, there was a desire deep inside of her, a desperate want to make them suffer the same way she did, to make them feel powerless. She could do that. She could push them around like she did with Victoria so many weeks ago, she could press them against the floor until their marble skin cracked and broke apart.

The wind picked up.

"_You know you want to._" Victoria's voice whispered in her mind. "_That man, the one I killed, he doesn't matter in the scheme of things, he just brought them--_" She could imagine the vampire gripping her cheeks, forcing her to look at the Cullens, "_\--all he ever lived for was to make them desperate, and now they are._" Victoria's figure was a ghost, translucent and beaming. "_Aren't you tired of playing nice?_"

Bella swallowed, blood rushing to her head. Would it really be that hard? To make them hurt, to make them fall apart like she did?

"_No it wouldn't be._" Victoria seemed to grow more solid with every question she asked herself. "_It could be so easy, Bella, you and I-- we can have so much fun together._" There was a soft look in her eyes suddenly. "_You could be mine, if you want, we can protect each other._"

This was how Victoria wanted her, angry and desperate. The vampire wanted her to hurt the people around her, alienate herself until she became not only an easy target-- but the perfect playmate, just as sadistic and apathetic as she was. 

"Oh." Bella said out loud. "I think I know what Victoria wants."

And it's so obvious suddenly, all the words, all the actions-- none of it was to scare Bella, not really. It was a courting, a plea for her to join the afterlife with Victoria at her side. 

"She wants you." Leah stated frowning. "I thought we had already established that."

"No." Bella says. "She just doesn't want to be alone." She looked down at her hands. "I can understand that now."

"You're going to talk to her." Jasper whispers. "Bella, you can't possibly think that's a good idea."

She shrugged. "At worst, by the end of it I'll have a tiny preference to blood."

"You can't--" Alice starts, only to be cut off by Bella's glower.

"Don't tell me what I can and can't do." The human glared. "Don't treat me like I'm made of glass-- I'm _not_, just because the rest of you are made of stone doesn't mean you can push me around in the name of stupid shit like my 'humanity.'" She scoffed. "_Newsflash_, humans aren't that great." 

"I've been trying to tell you that all year." A melodious voice interrupts. Victoria sits in a tree, idly watching her. She lounges on a thick branch, leaning on her hand as she lazily waves at everyone. The redhead is swaddled in a feathery boa, an old ripped rock shirt with blood stains catches her attention.

"Hey..." Bella frowns. "Did you take that from my closet?"

Victoria says nothing, eyes narrowing. "Swan, you can't honestly expect me to find this and just _not_ steal it, can you?" She sighed, eyes not leaving the human. "Why is it, surrounded by people who want to burn me alive, I feel nothing but peace?"

Sure enough, not one of the wolfs or Cullens were moving to attack. Bella saw the air around them ripple, and a sudden understanding along with fatigue settling over her like a thick wool coat. 

"It looks like I'm making sure they can't hurt you." Bella responded. "My friend told me I'm like a shield, I just deflect the things I don't like away from me." She rubbed at her face, smearing a liquid over her skin.

"Hmm." Victoria watched as the wolves and the vampires tried to move closer, smacking against an invisible wall every time. "You're bleeding you know." She tilts her head, eyeing the blood slowly leaking from her nose. "I can't smell it."

Bella shrugged. "Can't say I know how I've pulled that off." 

Victoria said nothing. 

"Now, want to stop sulking and talk it out?"

The vampire's smile may forever be imprinted in her nightmares. "I don't think I will, but I appreciate your concern."

"Come on, not even a little hint?"

"A hint, about what?" Victoria's eyes narrow playfully.

"About why you think doing these things would win me over, I'd think it'd be kind of you to explain how this has been justified, I would be very thankful." Bella said, watching the redheaded woman tilt her head, batting her too long eyelashes and blinking slowly. (Feline grace felt like somewhat of an understatement when describing this vampire.)

"Have I not already told you?" Victoria smiles. "It is nothing inherently personal, nothing like James would feel--" She laughs a little, "--if our places had been swapped there would be no end to the punishment he would inflict upon you, no, little bird; it is not personal." Bella felt herself shiver when the other woman's grin became bloodthirsty. "This is simply because I can... simply because I care not for the triviality of human life, and neither will you, in time."

"That..." Bella scowled. "That is actually terrible, Jesus, are you high? Wait. Can vampires even get high?"

Victoria says nothing.

"Right." She sighed. "This is gonna take a while."

**Author's Note:**

> Victoria deserves a fic all on her own, and that's what she'll get


End file.
